Machine for making rice cakes



March'w. 1925. A l. NA'KAGAWA ET Al.'

MACHINE FOR MAKING RICE CAKES .No /f v Q n- 0 2 M 2, u Nm 9 e d. 2 .m .VMA uw, w www u@ NJ am mh 54.....1 2 [.rzr L C l.

Aw m :wm I m. m w d A G 2, w m e A R 2|- K .w S A u N W F $4.3 x. m nw M. @Y P9 @Y Patented Mar. 10, 1925.

UNHTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MACHINE Ill/TAKING RICE CARES'.

Application filed .Tune 2, 1928. Serial No. 643,102.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that we, ISABURO NAKAGAWA and Krorn'oono AMAUCHI, subjects of the Emperor of Japan, residing at Seattle, in the county of King and State of Vashington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Making Rice Cakes; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates tov machines for baking cakes, and more particularly rice cakes, and particularly to a machine by which the cake batter is automatically transferred from the hopper to the griddle and thereon baked, and afterward deposited in a suitable bin for packing, all without manualinterference or assistance.

In the proper manufacture and bakingof` rice cakes it is necessary that a thin batter be used and the cakes formed and cooked in a thin sheet of any suitable size, but usually of circular form and approximately three inches in diameter land less than a quarter ofv an inch thick. The heat must be applied to both top and bottom ofthe cakes, "and the cake enclosed in a tight compartment of its own size to insure the even cooking thereof and to hold the batter in true form until the mass is fully cooked.

Heretofore these cakes have been cooked.

with hand tools with imperfect results, but our invention will enable the manufacture of large quantities of cakes by a continuous operation, substantially automatic in character, and with the production of a perfectly cooked product. Y

The invention consists in the novel improvements in the griddle structure as well as novel improvements in the assembly of the plurality of griddle elements, with means for automatically operating the same, supplying batter thereto and removing the cooked cakes therefrom, as will more particularly appear in the course of the follow-v ing description.

Two sheets of drawings accompanj7 this specification as part thereof, in which like reference characters indicate similar parts throughout. i

In the drawings, which are largely diagrammatic,

Figure 1 is a side elevation showing our entire machine;

Fig. 2' is a plan' view of the machine partly broken away;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional viewtaken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Fig. 4L is a detail longitudinal vertical cross sectional view through the batter ldisA tributing device; i v

Fig. 5 is a back elevational view of a single griddle unit ;V and Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

' In accordance with the present invention a suitable frame 1 is provided,'adapted to support two horizontally disposed and laterallv spaced endless chains 2+2, which are passed at the front end of the machine over suittaken able freely rotatable gear wheels 3*3, and at which are secured Vthe griddleunits hereinafter more particularly described.

4On theshaft 5 'is also secured the gear wheel 6A and a freely rotatable lever 7, the

`lever 7 being provided adjacent its upper' end with pawls 8 adapted to engage the teeth of gear 6, and being pivotally connected at its lower end with the connecting Vrod 10 which is in turn pivotally connected with vlever 11 secured totransverse shaft 12, upon which is mounted a gear 13, which gear 13 is operated'through a spur gear 14 rotated by means of pulley '15 and any suitable power transmission means such as is illustrated by belts 16 from a motor 17.

From the structure thus described it will be apparent that the motor 17 will operate gear 13 and shaft 12, thus causing lever '7 to rotate chains 2-2 yin the direction indicated by the arrows (Figure 1) by short successiveV steps. j

The improved griddles which are secured upon the endless chains 2-2 in any suitable number eachconsist of an inner griddle 19 fiXedly secured to one of the transverse rods 18, an intermediate griddle 23 and an outer griddle-20.4 The outer griddle 20 is secured to a transverse rod 22 which ishinged at one end as at 21 to the transverse rod 18.

vThe -other end ofrod 22is provided with a interamente nadie 2e 'as .ringed as ai 24-24 to the rear edge of outer griddle 20 and is Vprovided with a downwardly eXtendingV 'l'ug28- Secured to a suitable part ofthenframe l adjacent the rear end of chains '242 is a bracket 29 provided `with angularly-disposed cam face 80 positioned in such manner thatin the passage lof the griddlepast lsaid cam face the cam .will engageI link .26 and, .fercesame downwardly .tofrelease rod 22 and permit said rod withl theouter .t-.gl'riddlev 20'to'drop open'swinging upon its "pivot21- The frame lr two guide members: hpositioned back of: chains 2 2 and extending upwardlyarcuately .and

ythence.transversely; ofthe machine asis well I extending backwardly behind ,theyigiiddle kidzles together'.

.20, will en-gagefthe-guidei whiehwill force griddle y23, in'toits closed :position incontact with thefinner face ofgrgijddle 2Oy in the' po sitionindicated atthe ltop dffiFigf.: 1.

-3214-31 transversely. of t .the machine `above y, gears "44-4,..it.will.be apparent that as the chains 12.42 l carry 'f the; griddle forward from ...this position 'fthe louter l:aiid .j, intermediate .egriddles `rwill be` carried downwardlyinto ,lclosed' position in cntactwith the inner "griddle 19.

.1A second .cam T38. is"y provided adj acentthe i and to forcefsame again intofloekin'g position with rod? 22 thus securely"fastening"the-.grid- Theiiintermediate v griddlev above reuferred to "isWprov'ided with a: plurality of t*spacedholesl 70,v eachofthe si'Ze ofthe rice `v"oalieto befcookedfand is constructed of niaterial of the thickness of theiin'i'shed'prodfriet,` If 'de'sifedpand to facilitate the re- "-mofval 'ofthe cakes, the edges of these holes n70"ni`aybe beveled outwardly. A To convey 'thV 'ba'tter to. thegriddles a reciprocating'.,receptacle 35X isVY "provided fear- -riedA up'oli'jgu'ide members 52 and supported 59 disposed below and above the horizontal i flaiiges fof the ffar'igle *members l This 4distributor is provided with -a--pluialityof ,holes spindle 38 guided through suitable holes in By. lreason ,of,'.-the extension oaf-guides A 'the gear wheels e .in .roivsto transverse .rods .4l whither@ in ti1rn`eon1iec`ted as Vby vvertical"members 42 viand.rollers 43 ,with bell levers 46 pivoted as at46"to thesides of receptacle 35. The immediate contact of rollers Y 43 is with a latch 44 Ipivotally mounted as at 45 upon an arm of the bell lever 46 which latch is. secured 4against downward movement by La hackv plate ,47 Vas illustrated in Fig. 4, thus permitting levers 46 to be rocked to pass latches 44 beyond rollers '43 and .theinre- 'sume their. original positions. Compression `'springs 40. are Josition'edI around spindleBS and intermediate: members V3'? andmguide members so vas to normally `force the valveheads 37 .to close passagesG. Y n e Thenpper ends of bell levers 46 .vare-pivotally secured to a *connecting rod 46. suit .ablyxpivotedas .at 48 to the frameyof the machine., The upper arm of one of each series of bell -levers4,6is secured as by a spring 56 to the forward end, ofthe container 35, said spring :operating to normally pullbell levers 46Hforwardly v to vposition lcatchers 44 beneath rollers 43 so that on the forward movement of the container 35 the upper arms of Vbell levers 46 being held bach- ,ward by means of; connecting rod 48,. the ,leatches 44, will be raised, thus lifting valves 37 at substantiallyythe forwardlimit of the movement ...of .Container `opening .at .that point the, passages .36 .for themdischargewof .battnffromV the container upon, the 'lower rgriddle of' ,thef griddle unit positioned above Tb the rearfofzeontainerv areettaehed .fthe .forward ends of twopairs 'of lazy tongs 49, the rear ends of which are-pivoted as x-at56 to thefframe l.. The'upperrearmemlb'ers lof the lazyiongs'49-49 areextended downwardlyA to constitute levers secured to a transverse4 shaft 53, to which tuinpis secured a .le,ver 54 extending.forwardly and .ecc'entrically pivoted by a suitable slot connection as at 55 to gear 13,.,

By `reason of thissi'ructure it will be ap- '.parentxthatthe rotation off 'gear will operl atef-conc-urrently with the rotation of chains .2-:2 .to swinglever 54 end 'thus .through the lever connection witli..tlie 'l'azy 'tongs V42- 49 roperate toxsuccessively extend andv if said tongs 'to reciprocate the batter dispensing container 1 A K Mounted upon the frame l; and to the rear lof gears l44.4 andv substrintially above" the frearnist position taken hybatter.distribue ing container 35is a .batter reserevoir,6?I

provided in its bottom adjacentitsforward end with a passa'ge64 controlled byV a valve 63 secured to a vertically exten'diiigvalve Astem '61, which valve stem Vis normallfheld depressed by a suitable spring 65conne'cted thereto and with the reservoir 62. The valve stem 61 is provided at its top with a suitable transverse roller adapted to be engaged by av bell lever 59 pivoted to reservoir 62 as at 60, one arm of which extends downwardly and is provided with latch 58 pivoted thereto but secured against rocking backwardly by a back plate 58. One of the transverse rods 43 operative of the valves in the batter distributing receptacle 35 and preferably the forward rod, is extended to one side of the receptacle as at 43 in such manner that on the rearward movement of the receptacle 35 when the receptacle is under the discharge passage 64 of the reservoir 62, it will contact latch 58 thus rocking bell lever 59 and lifting valve 63 to permit the discharge of the batter from the reservoir 62 into the distributing receptacle 35, thus replenishing the supply of batter' in said receptacle.

As illust-rated, the baking is done by gas fuel which is supplied through the pipe 66 and a plurality of burners 67 which, as shown, are substantially U-shaped pipes provided on their upper face with numerous spaced gas outlets.`

These burners are arranged parallel and under both the upper and lower horizontal stretches of the chains 2 2, as is illustrated in Fig. 1. Suitable valves (i8 are provided one for each burner unit so that the heat may be regulated as desired at all points in the passage of the griddles over the machine.

In operation the burners are lighted and adjusted to a proper heat and the reservoir 62 is filled with a suitable batter. Upon starting the motor 17 shaftI 12 will be rotated, thus operating lever 11 and gear 13. The rotation of lever 11 will as previously described cause chains 2 2 to move in the direction indicated by the arrows in Fig. 1, the griddle on the lower stretch of the chains 2 2 nearest gears 4 4 will advance upwardly until cam on bracket 29 engages link 26 and removes same from its locking position, thus permitting griddle rod 22 to drop, and at the same time intermediate griddle 28 will also drop by reason of its hinged relation to the lower edge of the outer griddle 20, the shock of the intermediate griddle upon the termination of its fall being such as to knock from the holes 70 the rice cakes therein. Any suitable receptacle may be positioned under the machine at this point (not shown) to receive the cooked cakes.

rFhe griddle continuing its upward course over gears 4 4 has its roller 27 first engaged by the guides 31 31 and then the lug 24 upon the intermediate griddle 2S contacts guide 32 which forces the intermediate griddle into closed relation with the outer griddle 20 which is maintained in its open position by means of guides 31 31. As the griddle reaches the upper position above gears 4 4, batter distributing receptacle 85 operated by lazy tongs 49 49 operated by lever 54 from gear 13 has reached its forward position above the griddle, and by reason of its forward motion rocks lever arms 4G thus lifting valves 37 to permit of the simultaneous discharge of a plurality of spaced dabs of batter upon the inner griddle 19. This particular griddle is nextadvanced by a periodic' motion of the chains,

2 2, the guides 31--31 extending at this point transversely and obliquely of the machine guide the roller 2G downwardly to close the intermediate and outer griddles upon the inner griddle so that the holes 70 of the intermediate griddle receive each a dab of batter previously disposed upon the lower griddle corresponding thereto. As this griddle further progresses toward the front of the machine the link 26 comes into contact with cam and is forced into locking engagement with rod 22 of the griddle, thus securing the griddle parts together. In the further progress of this griddle from this position to the point at which the description of the operation commenced, it will be apparent that the inner griddle will be tirst heated by the burners positioned under the upper stretch of the chains while the outer griddle will in turn be heated by the burners positioned under the lower stretch of the chains, thus assuring the proper' baking of the cakes from both sides.

Immediately following the discharge of the batter from receptacle upon one griddle the lazy tongs 49 49 operate to retract distributing receptacle 35 to its rearmost position under the reservoir 62, at the conclusion of which rearward movement of the receptacle 35 as previously described the extended rod 43 contacts latch 58 to operate the valve 63 in the reservoir and thus replenish the supply of batter in the distributing receptacle in time for its return to its forward position to repeat the previously described operation in connection with the next adjacent griddle then arrived in position.

Various modifications in the precise form, structure and arrangement of the mechanism will readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art. but within the scope .of the present invention as claimed.

Having thus fully described ny invention, we claim:

1. In a machine for cooking rice cakes the combination of a batter supply reservoir and means foropening and closing a discharge mouth therefrom, a reciprocating batter pan for transferring a supply of batter from the reservoir to the baking griddles, means for operating the reciprocating pan and means for opening and closing discharge outlets in the bottom of the pan; a plurality of baking griddle plates `attached "to A'spaced sprocket '-'chains "operated over lsprockets, ,and means for operating the sprocketsintermittently, a duplicate set of bakinggriddle plates 'pivoted at one end to one end' ofthe respective iXed plates, With means for holding the nnhnged end of the Vplates ltogether,and'means for releasing the ,said holding means at predetermined positions, a third foriningfgriddle plate mount- "ed byfhinge connection 'on the pivoted bakirig Agriddle plate, and means for folding the forming* griddle plate between vthe louter bak-,ing griddle plates, and means for heat- 'ing the griddle platesirom both sides as they are vmoved .by the sprockets and chains. A. 2. lIn a. machine for cooking rice cakes with' a plnrality of griddle plates affixed to anendle's'sconveyor, a'dnplicate `set of bak- "ing fgr'iddle'plates'ipivoted' each lat one end to oneen'dof the fixed plates ormingfg'rid- ,dlepla'tes, "pivotally'V mounted one interme- "Jdiia'te each fixed end'pivoted "plates, and

meansf'for'holding the freeend of thepiv` voted'duplicateplate in apredetermined position abutting thefi'xed plate with a forming griddle plate 'between the baking' plates, and means Vfor releasing the holding means,

Withv means (for holdingsthe pivoted plates and' forming plates opened from against the *fixed plates for predetermined periods, and

means 'for 'closing' Fthepiyoted 4and 'f forming plates down and against the fixed plates, means 'for placing lcake batter "upon the fixed plate While the moving-plates are held open therefrom, and -means for operating .said conveyor and batter depositing means hinged adjacent one'edge vtothe buter griddle, means `for vcoiiyeying tliegriddle unit by successive steps in a rotary circuit, 4means yfor :automaticallyfsecnring the p artsiof'the 1 griddle iinit together 'operative' at: one-.point in the circ-nit, means 'for automatically "releasing the jpartsfof'they griddle nnit'at an otherV pointl in the circuit,""means for holding the parts of the griddle in' a predeterfmned relation Aintern'iedia'te' the atoremen tionedpoints in the circuit, and meansfor automatically supplying' batter 'tofpredeterv mined positions on one ofk 'the griddle lparts. In testimony whereof We atliX our signatures.

ISABURO N'KAGAVA. KICHIGO'RO AMAUCHI. 

